The emergence of Roman marriage rings in the 4th-7th centuries CE

Dumbarton Oaks Museum in Washington D.C. has an interesting collection of Roman marriage rings that began to appear in the 4th century CE. The curators point out, "Marriage rings, embellished with busts of couples and inscriptions, are known in both Roman and early Byzantine society. No documents survive that describe how, or whether, they were used in the wedding ceremony, but gold, silver, and bronze examples testify that they were widespread in both the eastern and western halves of the Roman Empire. Such rings can be dated from the fourth through the seventh century."

Gold Marriage Ring 6th-7th century CE Eastern Mediterranean photographed at the Dumbarton Oaks Museum by Allan Gluck.

(My Favorite) Early Marriage Ring late 4th-5th century gold Roman also used as seal ring. Image courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum.

Gold Marriage Ring 6th-7th century CE gold Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Marriage Ring 6th century gold Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Marriage Ring 6th-7th century gold Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Marriage Ring 6th-7th century CE gold Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Marriage Ring early 7th century CE Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Marriage Ring late 4th-early 5th century gold Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Marriage Ring late 6th-7th century gold Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Marriage Ring late 4th-early 5th century gold Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Octagonal Marriage Ring with Holy Site Scenes 7th century CE gold Roman courtesy of Dumbarton Oaks Museum

Hairstyles and the size of the crosses are used to date these pieces. A modest cross places a ring at an early stage of development of marriage rings, the later ones usually having larger crosses and often the figure of Christ between bride and groom.

I asked Bard about earlier symbolic jewelry used in Roman weddings and it responded with:

"There's no concrete evidence that marriage rings as we know them today were used in Roman weddings before the 4th century CE. However, the concept of an exchanged token symbolizing a marital bond did exist, albeit in different forms:

Engagement rings (annuli pronubi): While not exactly wedding rings, simple iron rings were exchanged during a pre-wedding ceremony called sponsalia. These symbolized a formal betrothal commitment, often made years before the actual wedding.

Hand-joining (dextrarum iunctio): During the wedding ceremony itself, the couple's right hands were formally joined together, representing the physical and symbolic union of their lives. This practice was considered the central act of the ceremony and held more significance than any object exchange.

Emergence of gold rings: While iron rings dominated for centuries, gold rings gradually gained popularity throughout the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, especially among wealthier classes. These rings, though still not universally associated with weddings, served as more ostentatious symbols of commitment and wealth.

It's important to note that archaeological evidence for actual wedding rings from this period is scarce. Most of our knowledge comes from literary sources and artistic representations, which often depict symbolic imagery rather than specific objects.

Here's a timeline summarizing the key points:

Before 4th century CE:

No evidence of wedding rings used in ceremonies.

Engagement rings (iron) used in pre-wedding ceremony (sponsalia).

Hand-joining (dextrarum iunctio) the central act of the wedding ceremony.

4th century CE onward:

Gold rings become more common, especially among the wealthy.

Rings still not definitively associated with weddings but may have served as additional symbols of commitment and wealth.

So, while marriage rings weren't a prevalent custom in Roman weddings before the 4th century CE, the seeds of the tradition were certainly sown through engagement rings and symbolic hand-joining ceremonies. The shift towards gold rings and their increasing association with weddings laid the groundwork for the practice we know today."